Return of the Jedi: Special Edition
(1983/1997)

This is the dopiest of the three movies and, thus, the easiest to
pick on. The tone is insufferably broad. The cross-cutting is
hideous. Even wise old Yoda is a bore, hacking his way through an
embarrassing death scene. (Eh heh, eh heh, eh heh, throat lozenge
please pass.) And, and, and, so what? To quote someone else's
.signature, "The ability to criticize STAR WARS is insignificant
next to the power of The Fans." For all the stuff that sucks-- two
words: Ewok babies-- there's something else that sends even the
casual fan soaring. My favorite moment is watching Vader watching
his son getting creamed by the Emperor. Those hollow, plastic eyes
chill me to the bone. (That is, once I accept the fact that no
amount of purple electricity is going to make Mark Hamill's hair
stand on end.) And don't miss the added footage, at the very end,
showing celebrations on a couple of other planets. These are the
first glimpses into what we'll likely see in two years, when George
Lucas unveils the first of his STAR WARS prequels. (Rated "PG"/133
min.)
Grade: B-
Copyright 1997 by Michael J. Legeros